No need to draw this out - Week 1
- Jody Roginson
- Mar 17
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 18
Here are the results from Week 1 of the 2025 NWSL regular season:
DATE | TEAMS | VENUE | BROADCAST | RESULT |
Fri. March 14 | Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit | Shell Energy Stadium | NWSL+ | Spirit, 2-1 |
Fri. March 14 | Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Stars FC | Inter&Co Stadium | Prime Video | Pride, 6-0 |
Sat. March 15 | Kansas City Current vs. Portland Thorns FC | CPKC Stadium | ABC | Current, 3-1 |
Sat. March 15 | Racing Louisville FC vs. NC Courage | Lynn Family Stadium | NWSL+ | Draw, 1-1 |
Sat. March 15 | Utah Royals FC vs. Bay FC | America First Field | ION | Draw, 1-1 |
Sat. March 15 | Seattle Reign FC vs. Gotham FC | Lumen Field | ION | Draw, 1-1 |
Sun. March 16 | Angel City FC vs. San Diego Wave FC | BMO Stadium | ESPN 2 | Draw, 1-1 |
Read Sarcasm
If there’s anything an American sports-viewing audience loves more than a tie game (a draw), well… I can’t think of what that is.
But here’s why that’s flawed thinking about this sport: The draws were wildly entertaining, while the three matches where the victor emerged with 3 points on the table, really only the Spirit/Dash contest was compelling. (Well, unless you’re a fan of Pride blowouts or Current domination.)
Remember folks, in this sport the team listed first is home. (It’s like "they" do everything “they” can to alienate those of us who watch American sports, but let's move on.)
Relevant details from Week 1
An unassisted goal by Morris in the 16th minute put the Spirit up early and when Hatch scored 17 minutes later (33’) some hopes may have been dashed. (Yes, puns intended.)
But the hometown squad outshot Washington, 11-8, with an equal number of those on goal, 4-4. Houston had 8 corners (to 0) and were able to viably cross 22 times, but failed to capitalize on those scoring opportunities until the 75th minute when Graham found the back of the net off a pass from Gareis.
For those who watched, the second half felt like a statement from the Houston Dash: Basement dwellers no more! (Or would the bottom of the table in 2024 be a “placemat”?)
The 19,237 people who showed up to express their Pride for 2024’s double winner were treated to a mostly offensive display (but it was all good fun). Four different players scored for the offense (another was scored on an “own goal” OG).
McCutcheon from Gautrat (7’) was followed by a goal by Watt (36’) from Marta, the ageless wonder, to complete the scoring in the first.
But, matches are made up of two 45-minute frames and the home team took advantage of the time. After the OG (Anderson 47’), Orlando’s Banda went on attack, assisting a goal to Doyle (65’) before scoring two solo goals (80’ and 87’).
Possession just isn’t 9/10ths of anything when it comes to this sport.
Portland possessed 53-47% of the time, but when Chawinga (from Debinha) scores at 2-minutes in, then the need to control the ball may feel less significant?
Other first half goals, both unassisted, by Cooper (23’) and Debinha (36’) had the home team up by 3 at the break.
Portland got one back 4 minutes into the second when Mountie scored from Sugita, but Kansas City was up to the defensive challenge the rest of the way and it never really felt close.
Then came the draws (Each team earns 1 point on the table.)
It might be sketched as a teeter totter (remember those?), one team wins goes up in the first and the other one pushes them to even in the second.
Sears put Racing Louisville ahead early (13’) off a pass from Wright until an unassisted goal by Jackson equalized (69’). The remaining 20+ minutes featured four shots but both keepers (Milliet, for Racing Louisville and Murphy for Courage) were up to those challenges.
Despite a low in-stadium attendance, 2,847, this featured flurries of activities that made viewing it worthwhile.
The first goal was such a cluster off a Zornoza corner that whoever touched it wasn’t determinable when the stats were input so there was a goal, and one can assume the assist, but I can’t confirm that as I type. (And it took a minute or so to report on that, so play by play has the goal at 11’ while the official stats has it at 12 minutes in… Remember, time is rather laissez faire in this sport, too.) Still, that's how the Royals scored their goal.
The equalizer for Bay FC (Bay is a place and Bay FC is their nickname) came at the end of the first when Pickett scored off an assist from Anderson. Shots (13-13) and shots on goal (Utah, 4 and Bay, 5) were indicative of the overall balance on this night in front of 10,624 in attendance.
After an even first half, Gotham struck early in the second with an unassisted Portilho goal (47’) and the visitors had the lead for about 25 minutes when an unassisted goal from Adames (71’) finished the scoring. Freeman (Gotham) was shown a red card at 86’ but Seattle couldn’t capitalize on the advantage.
This was one of the most equitable matches, statistically, as possession, corners, crosses, and even duels won were close. Gotham outpaced Reign in shots (11-7) and shots on goal (4-1) but only those that find make it in count, so each team earning 1 point seems a fair result.
While Gotham FC earned most frequent flier miles during Week 1, this match featured the two closest in proximity squads as the visitors traveled roughly 120 miles up California’s I-5 to battle it out in front of 19,728 fans.
Cascarino sent a pass to Corley (5’) and Wave was up until about 10 minutes in to the second half when Thompson scored, from Fuller (54’), equalizing.
Between the two teams there were 7 shots taken in the final 10+4 minutes and each defense (and not just the keepers) found ways to block those attempts.
It may have been too late for some viewers in other time zones, but the frenetic finish of the final match of Week 1, has us ready for next week’s action.